The Peregrine Lunar Lander, built by Astrobiotic, will be the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon using the United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket. It is also the first to launch under Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The lander will carry more than 20 lunar payloads, including five science instruments for Nasa, miniature rovers, a memorial plaque, and a coin with one bitcoin loaded. Astrobotic was selected by Nasa under the CLPS program, and another private launch by Intuitive Machines is scheduled for January 2024.
NEW DELHI: The launch of the Peregrine Lunar Lander on December 24 is expected to spark a new space race and will be one for the history books for several reasons. The lander, built by Astrobiotic, will be the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon (on January 25, 2024) -- if all goes well.
In another first, the Peregrine will be lifting off on the first flight of the privately-owned United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket -- successor to the company's Atlas V and Delta IV vehicles.
The Peregrine is also the first to launch under Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, created as a way for the agency to bring payloads to the Moon without having to construct all the spacecraft necessary to bring those payloads there.
"We have seen China, and more recently, India successfully land on the Moon in the last decade. But till today, no private company has successfully landed on the Moon. Landing on the Moon is a daunting technical challenge, particularly for robotic vehicle engines, navigation systems, radios, and many other social systems all have to work together to enable a soft landing," Chris Culbert, project manager for CLPS at Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, told space.com.
Noting that the launch will take place on Christmas Eve, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton recently said: "Yes, it's Christmas Eve, but it will be one heck of a Christmas present."
About the spacecraft
- The height of the Peregrine is 1.9 metres, width is 2.5 m, weight (including fuel) is 1,280 kg.
- It is equipped with five engines designed to perform maneuvers in interplanetary space and a soft landing on the lunar surface.
- The lander has a variety of ports designed to hold various scientific equipment.
- In total, Peregrine can carry a payload weighing up to 265 kg.
Miniature rovers and bitcoin
The lander will be carrying more than 20 lunar payloads, including five science instruments for Nasa, as well as payloads for universities, government and private customers. Two miniature rovers, a memorial plaque, and even a coin on which one bitcoin is "loaded" will also be onboard the spacecraft.
The lander is expected to touchdown near the Gruithuisen Domes, located on the northeastern edge of the Oceanus Procellarum, or Ocean of Storms.
The lander will operate for about 10 days before the sun sets, leading to the same lunar night that saw India's Chandrayaan-3 lander fade away.
"The suite of payloads will collect data on the lunar exosphere, volatiles on the lunar surface, as well as the radiation environment, all helping us better prepare for sending crewed missions [Artemis missions] back to the Moon," said scientist Ryan Watkins, with Nasa's Science Mission Directorate.
Another lunar lander launch in January
Astrobotic was among 14 private companies selected by Nasa under the agency’s CLPS programme to deliver payloads to the Moon ahead of the first Artemis astronaut missions to the lunar south pole in late 2025.
In early 2024, Houston-based company Intuitive Machines will launch its Nova-C lander with SpaceX, also carrying Nasa payloads to the Moon.
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